KLSCCCI AND SOCIETY

CHARITY AND WELFARE

The Chamber also plays a significant role in mobilizing, offering and distributing aid and donations to the needy, local and abroad. While a large proportion of aid mobilized by the Chamber was channeled to victims of disasters in China during the pre-war years, the Chamber’s charity involvement was also directed to other parts of the region, e.g. Japan. Local beneficiaries of the Chamber’s philanthropic activities included leprosy patients, unemployed people, prisoners and ex-convicts, refugees of the May 13 riots etc.

In 1908, China’s Kwangtung province was hit by a serious flood. The Chamber raised funds for flood relief by selling theatre performance tickets.
This news piece, dated 2 May 1935 and published by Nanyang Siang Pau, recorded the charitable acts of the Chamber, including organizing relief for the unemployed Chinese coolies in Malaya, sending financial aid to the refugees of various disasters in China etc.
In response to an appeal from the Chinese Protectorate for an eight thousand dollar donation to build a new theater in Sungai Buloh Leprosarium in 1936, the Chamber’s President Yong Shook Lin issued a statement on 25 May to urge all members to contribute. One of the members Loke Wan Yat donated two thousand dollars.
During the interwar years, The Chamber actively raised funds for disaster relief whenever China was hit by disasters. In 1938, over 60,000 refugees fled to Gulangsu Island when Xiamen fell to enemy occupation. The Chamber enthusiastically responded to the International Relief Committee for Gulangsu by raising funds. Over two years, the Chinese in Malaya donated over 15 million dollars for disaster relief in China, Selangor making the largest contribution of 1.19 million dollars.
In 1939, Lee Hau Shik was vice president of the Chamber and president of Selangor Overseas Chinese Committee for China Relief Fund. Shown here is a Lee Hau Shik signed certificate to Chen Yi Yuan, one of the donors.
During the early years of Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), KLSCCCI played an important role to bridge communication gap between British Government and the wider Chinese community. In 1949, in response to the militarization of Chinese community, Mr. Lee Hau Shik, then President of KLSCCCI and a member of the Federal Council, reminded the British authority the importance to cultivate loyalty through reasoning, instead of by force. In 1955, when the Anti-Communist Youth League warned shopkeepers in Kuala Lumpur not to sell goods from communist China, KLSCCCI spoke out against the suggestion and argued instead that people have been accustomed to buying cheap good from China.
A serious riot broke out on the streets in the center of Kuala Lumpur on 13 May 1969. Among the victims, many were working class ethnic Chinese. The Chamber distributed 1,000 sacks of rice at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall for refugees of the riot.
On 21 May 1969, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Tan Siew Sin were at the Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur to receive a donation of food parcels from the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Selangor Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The food was to be distributed to those affected by the curfew.
On 15 December 1976, nine people died in a landslide at Puchong’s Sungai Kuyoh mining site. The Chamber donated money and goods to the families of victims.
On 6 Aug 1980, sixteen families in the Sixth Miles of Klang lost their home to a blaze. Treasurer of the Chamber Mr. Zhang Zheng Xiu passed a RM1,800 donation to victims of various ethnic groups.
On 18 June 1985, Mr. Soong Siew Tong led Welfare Committee members to visit Rumah Bakti orphanage in Ulu Klang, and gave ‘ang-pow’ to the kids for Hari Raya celebration.
KLSCCCI’s Welfare Committee organized a luncheon for senior citizens from the old folks homes during Chinese New Year in 2017.
KLSCCCI welfare committee members visit an old folks home during Chinese New Year, sending them some warmth.
KLSCCCI organized a charity luncheon and invited orphanages and other charity groups of all races to attend and jointly celebrate Malaysian Day.

NIPAH VIRUS OUTBREAK AND RELIEF FOR PIG FARMERS

In 1998, pig farmers’ livelihood was destroyed by the catastrophic outbreak of the Nipah Virus. The Chamber’s then President Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik (1995-2003) mobilized the Chinese community to form a collective platform for the relief of pig farmers who were affected by the outbreak. He formed and chaired the National Chinese Guilds and Associations J.E. Victims Relief Committee, which was tasked to investigate the impact of the outbreak on pig farmers and the industry.

109 civil groups jointly submitted a memorandum and urged the authorities to expedite the compensation for pig farmers after the outbreak of Nipah Virus.
The Chamber’s president Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik delivered aid to the family of victims who died of infection.
The Chamber’s then president Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik and other leaders of the Chinese community visited the office of Negeri Sembilan Livestock Rearers Association.

MEDICAL PHILANTHROPY

The Chamber stands at the forefront of medical philanthropy. In addition to regular financial contributions, many of the Chamber’s members were on the committees of shelter for the unemployed, and of hospitals, such as Tung Shin Hospital and Chinese Maternity Hospital. Three prominent members of the Chamber, including its former president Tun Lee Yan Lian (1975-1982) and its council members Chong Shih Guan, Teo Soo Cheng and Ng Beh Tong, were successively presidents of Tung Shin Hospital.

Prominent members of the Chambers have contributed in medical philanthropy since late of 19th century.
Mr. Chong Shih Guan, Tung Shin Hospital’s President and prominent council member of the Chamber, laying the foundation stone of the new Welfare Ward.
In 1964, Mr. Chong Shih Guan cut the ribbon to open the newly completed Loke Yim Female Ward of Tung Shin Hospital. The ward was later renamed and repurposed as General Ward of the hospital’s Western Medical Department.
Tung Shin Hospital’s Lee Yan Lian Ward cost 500,000 dollars, of which 75,000 dollars was donated by Tan Sri Lee Yan Lian, who was president of the Chamber (1975-1982) and of the hospital. The ward was completed in 1974, opened in 1980.

Tan Sri Lee Yan Lian, then President of the Chamber and President of Tung Shin Hospital, accompanied Labour and Manpower Minister Lee San Choon and Health Minister Chong Hon Nyan to visit the facilities of the operating theatre at Tung Shin Hospital, c.early 1980s.

KLSCCCI GALLERY
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  • Tel: +603 4253 2135
  • Email: inquiry@chinesechamber.org.my
  • Address: Ground Floor, Wisma Chinese Chamber, 258, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.

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